50,000 visitors to the Maison Suisse
Published: Sunday, Aug 11th 2024, 15:30
Updated At: Sunday, Aug 11th 2024, 15:50
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Shortly before the end of the Summer Olympics in Paris, the head of Presence Switzerland, Alexandre Edelmann, gave a positive assessment of the operation of the Maison Suisse. Around 50,000 people had visited the house in the past two and a half weeks.
Ambassador Edelmann is also the head of the Swiss House in Paris. This was built in the garden of the Swiss Embassy and was open to the public.
Edelmann told the Keystone-SDA news agency on Sunday that it was incredibly fortunate to be able to operate the Maison Suisse in this setting in the center of the Games, something modern right next to an 18th century building
In addition to the eight medal ceremonies with the athletes and fans, the opening ceremony and the 1 August celebration, the House of Nations served to present an "open, innovative Switzerland" in France and to strengthen cooperation with France, said Edelmann.
Meetings between politicians and athletes
He described the joint appearance by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Viola Amherd, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, the President of the Government of the Canton of Vaud, Christelle Luisier, and the Mayor of Lausanne, Grégoire Junod, as a sport diplomatic highlight. They were able to demonstrate Switzerland's strength as a host country for sport and sports associations.
The best moment for him in sporting, personal and emotional terms was the first medal ceremony with 21-year-old shooter Audrey Gogniat - with the Jura fans and the bells.
Coincidentally, Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis happened to be at the Maison Suisse at the same time and was able to congratulate the young athlete on stage. That was an incredible moment, said Edelmann. "You could feel the emotions and that is essential, because communication also has a lot to do with emotions."
A ton of cheese
The budget for construction and operation amounted to a total of four million francs. Of this, CHF 2.8 million came from the federal government and CHF 1.2 million from the private sector and participating cantons.
According to Edelmann, a tonne of cheese has been served at Maison Suisse over the past two and a half weeks, 150 kilograms per day have been used for rösti, 150 to 250 Vaudois Malakoff cheese slices per day and more than 9000 cervelats have been sold. The guests also drank 1,300 bottles of wine.
The Maison Suisse will reopen its doors during the Paralympic Games from August 27 to September 8.
©Keystone/SDA
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